6 Reasons why most Workers Hate their Jobs

January 28, 2017

A couple of weeks back I published a post on why some people love their jobs and almost immediately it made sense to write just the opposite as well: why some people hate theirs.

There are a number of reasons for doing this, but I also believe that if you can point out areas that make you feel miserable at work, then you can make out better plans to address such issues and mitigate unhappiness on your job.

Feeling miserable at work is not something I wish on anyone, not even my enemy (that’s if at all I have one). It’s a terrible thing to imagine. Imagine not feeling eager to go to work, feeling stuck at the job, and just thinking of going back home almost immediately after going to work.

It’s not something anyone wants or would wish for. It’s not pleasant especially because our work takes up a large aspect of our lives in one way or another.

So if you fall under any of these reasons, take out time to make plans in one way or the other so that you feel some sort of balance and relevance.

Look out to create value

I recently joined a facebook group and sometime in the past, a video was shared. The speaker was talking about the importance of considering value over purpose, and this made so much sense to me. She explained that we often search for purpose because that is what society expects us to know; but beyond this, whatever job or walk of life we find ourselves in, we should ask ourselves how much value we are able to make in that position.

Naturally, if you are able to create value, impact lives, or do something that is appreciated, then you will feel accomplished. The idea shouldn’t always be to search for purpose, at the first instance, because not everyone may be so lucky to discover purpose at first sight. Sometimes, it’s creating value that actually directs you to your purpose.

This may sound a tad bit complicated or maybe confusing, so please read it over again. And slowly.

I could see the truth in this and I feel that you should have this in mind when reading the rest of this blog post. No matter what the situation may be, and why you may detest your job, try as much as possible to create value in your job before making any drastic decision.

Let’ now talk about reasons why some workers may hate their jobs.

1. The job is unchallenging or unrewarding

Like I already discussed previously, if you don’t feel that you create value in your job then you may be inclined to hate that job. An unrewarding career isn’t what anyone hopes for. If you don’t feel fulfilled doing your job, it could create a void in you that you so desperately seek to fill. This could certainly lead you to detest your job.

Look out for opportunities within or outside your company that may be challenging. You could also take a personality test, this could help you discover career paths that may interest you.

2. You work for a bad boss who consistently fails to give you feedback

It sucks to work with a bad boss or manager. It’s even worse if the boss micromanages you at the slightest opportunity. This can be disheartening and may reduce motivation. It could stir up bad blood in you, making you feel undervalued and this could be hard for you!

What if your boss fails to effectively communicate with you? Or fails to carry out necessary appraisals when due? This isn’t encouraging at all and may make you subconsciously hate your job. It could also be that your ideas and contributions are never taken into consideration.

A good way to manage this is to take up actions and be in charge of your own personal development. If you are not getting feedback, you could arrange a meeting with your boss to talk things out. If you don’t feel comfortable with this, you could talk to someone who has referent power and can talk to your boss on your behalf.

If you lack job security and consistently live in fear of losing your job, there might be the tendency to detest your job. It will also be a bad experience if your company is undergoing financial turbulence and there may be a cut or loss of jobs pretty much soon. Living in fear can be so stressful.

If this is the case, you may have to consider other options. It can be a difficult decision to make if you really love the job or if you love the company, but unfortunately, this company is close to bankruptcy. But in one way or the other, you would need to make a decision at some point to have your sanity.

If you don’t value the business practices of your company, you may hate your job. I had someone tell me once that she was told to lie to clients and she didn’t feel this was in tune with her personal belief. She was of the opinion that she shouldn’t have to lie to win a client over. This may be the case for you; a fight or battle with your conscience and what you stand for.

What to do in this case is to do what you think a reasonable man/ woman in your position would do. What would be your answer even if someone held a gun to your head? What will you do if you had to give an answer first thing in the morning?

Personally, I believe that such companies that disregard its clients will most likely have no respect for you as well when push comes to shove. But, of course, you would have to make a decision yourself.

This is an emotional one and may be likened to finding or giving value. If you don’t see the possibility of growing your career this can be challenging for you. For example, the company is too small and you may never be able to get a great experience at an international level. Or you may never really have a promotion per se.

If you seek ambition and can’t find it at your present job, it may be a good idea to find a new job that will give you that push you so desire.

Another thing that may spike up hate for your job is if you live paycheck to paycheck. The truth remains that your salary plays an important part, and if you can’t pay your primary bills, this may have a negative impact on you.

If you receive just minimum wage and this isn’t sufficient for you, you may have to decide to find a better paying job or cut down on your expenses if you love your job. You could also consider having a side-hustle or part-time job for additional income.

6. You feel overworked

If you are constantly staying late nights and under so much stress over your job, this could make you detest it. It’s quite understandable because I’ve been in a similar situation. It’s worse if you have to stay in terrible traffic and feel mentally and emotionally stressed all week.

To handle this, you could speak to your boss to work on a better schedule. Also, you can make a flow chart of your work process and make areas for adjustments. You don’t want to have to repeat tasks when you can just do it once a week.